Major-General Arthur Pole Penton CB CMG CVO (6 October 1854 – 28 August 1920) was a British officer in the Royal Artillery, and Commandant of the New Zealand Defence Forces from 1897 to 1901.

[3] He was Commandant of the New Zealand Defence Forces between 1896 and 1901,[4] during which he received the substantive promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 15 December 1898.

[3] In 1902 he was in charge of the Militia and Volunteer Artillery in the North-Eastern district, in command of the depôt at Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

[3] For services in connection with the colonial military contingents visiting the United Kingdom for the 1902 Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, he was awarded the Coronation Medal in silver.

[5] He received a brevet promotion to colonel on 15 December 1902,[6] and later advanced to major-general.